Rob Sinclair Out Of Lightweight Tournament, Ricardo Tirloni Now Set To Face Rich Clementi

Rob Sinclair Out Of Lightweight Tournament with Knee Injury 

A knee injury has forced England’s Rob Sinclair out of the Bellator Season 9 Lightweight Tournament, which takes place September 27th from Portland’s Moda Center on September 27th live on Spike. Sinclair will now be replaced by Bellator veteran Ricardo Tirloni. The Brazilian submission ace was originally scheduled to face Marcin Held in a lightweight feature fight, but will now move into the tournament, while Held will take on Portland native Ryan Healy.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting Bellator.com, as well as the Moda Center Box Office. The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 6 p.m. PST on Spike, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 4 p.m. PST.

The full fight card can be found below:

MAIN CARD:

Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal: Mark Godbeer (8-1) vs. Cheick Kongo (18-8-2)
Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Marcus Davis (22-9) vs. Tiger Sarnavskiy (23-1)
Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: John Alessio (34-16) vs. Will Brooks (10-1)
Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Martin Stapleton (12-1) vs. Saad Awad (14-5)
Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Ricardo Tirloni (15-4) vs. Rich Clementi (45-22-1)

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Scott Thometz (6-2) vs. Brent Primus (2-0)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Andy Uhrich (9-3) vs. Nathan Coy (12-4)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Pacheco (6-0) vs. Tyson Jeffries (10-7)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (15-3) vs. Ryan Healy (23-12-1)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Jeremiah Riggs (7-7) vs. Peter Aspinwall (3-3)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Austin Springer (3-0) vs. Brent Alvarez (1-1)

Brits Rob Silnclair & Martin Stapleton Included in Belllator Season 9 Tournament

Brits Rob Silnclair & Martin Stapleton Included in Belllator Season 9 Tournament

The Toughest Tournament In Sports continues as Portland’s Rose Garden Arena plays hosts to Bellator MMA on Friday, September 27^th. The night will showcase the opening round of the Bellator Lightweight Tournament, as well as stacked preliminary card.

No stranger to the MMA game, Marcus Davis will use his veteran talent as he faces Russian submission artist Tiger Sarnavskiy. Davis is well aware of the opportunity at stake for his future, but will have to hold off Sarnavskiy, who holds an impressive 24-1 professional record.

After spending only 74 seconds in the cage with two first round knockouts last season, but falling to David Rickels in the Season 8 Tournament Final, Saad Awad is ready for redemption. Awad will face UK striker Martin Stapleton, who enters the fight riding an eight fight win streak and brings an impressive 12-1 record to the cage.   

“Bellator always brings top tier athletes from around the world and I'm excited that I get to be a part of this upcoming tournament again,” Awad said. “I’ve added a few things to my arsenal and I can't wait to showcase them and put on a great show.”

Fan favorite Will Brooks will also return to the big stage and battle MMA veteran John Alessio. After suffering just the first loss of his professional career in the Season 8 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal to Saad Awad, Brooks is ready to get back under the bright lights.

“I just want to get back in the winner circle,” Brooks said. “I have some unfinished business from last season and I am going to keep it simple, to the point and devastating for every fight. I need and want the belt and I am going to take it from whoever has it, but I am hoping it will be Michael Chandler.”

Making his Bellator debut, England’s own Rob Sinclair will battle long time veteran Rich Clementi on September 27th. With 27 submission wins in his professional career, Clementi will look to his experience in the cage to take down Sinclair, and put it all on the line for a last tournament run.  

“I am so excited to have the chance to compete again,” Clementi said. “For those who have been following me, I made an official retirement a few months ago and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. The last few years of competing, I’ve been running on four flat tires, but after being under treatment for the last three months and my body is responding well. Fighting is who I am and the thought of not being able to do that was devastating. I am so excited to get back in the cage and show people what I am made of.”

Bellator MMA Main Card:

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Marcus Davis (22-9) vs. Tiger Sarnavskiy (23-1)

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Will Brooks (10-1) vs. John Alessio (34-16)

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Saad Awad (14-5) vs. Martin Stapelton (12-1)

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Rob Sinclair (12-2) vs. Rich Clementi (45-22-1)